Portuguese Men-o-War Sightings

The following warning was posted on our facebook page, so we have reproduced it here.

Watch out!

In recent days, many Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis) have been reported from the Costa Tropical.

We would like to point out, that their stings are not fatal, but indeed are very painful. In addition, the tentacles remain active, even when the jellyfish have been stranded for several hours on the beach.

The contact with its tentacles can have very serious consequences for people and dogs. Its sting is very painful and can cause gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g. vomiting), muscle cramps, heart problems, neurological disorders and allergic reactions.

If you get stung: do not apply freshwater or rub the area!

1) Apply vinegar for 45 minutes

2) If no vinegar is available, apply hot packs or hot water immersion (40 – 45º) for 45 minutes

3) Use tweezers, gloves or a plastic card to remove remains of tentacles